Welcome Note

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

It is with great pleasure that we invite you to attend the joint Congress hosted by The 1st DIP Asia-Pacific (DIPAP) Symposium on Diabetes, Hypertension, Metabolic Syndrome and Pregnancy (DIPAP) and the South Asian Initiative for Diabetes in Pregnancy (SAIDIP), to be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, September 8-10, 2016.

The great success of the previous eight DIP Symposia held all over Europe has paved the way to create a similar DIP Congress in Asia-Pacific. Since the 1st meeting, the DIP Symposium has grown tremendously, dealing with over 80 years of knowledge, innovative research and the most up-to-date tools, techniques and integrative approach. With over 1300 participants from more than 70 countries worldwide, DIP is now considered a leading symposium in the field of maternal and fetal medicine, presenting data and management protocols to ensure the optimal outcome of pregnancies complicated by diabetes, hypertension and metabolic syndrome.

To bring increased attention and encourage research on diabetes in pregnancy within the South Asia region and replicate over a decade of success of the Diabetes in Pregnancy Study Group in India it was decided earlier this year to form an informal group called the South Asia Initiative for Diabetes in Pregnancy (SAIDIP).

The 1st DIPAP Symposium is honored to join hands with SAIDIP to host the 1St South Asia and Asia Pacific International Congress on Diabetes in Pregnancy.

Hyperglycemia is one of the most common medical conditions women encounter during pregnancy. It is estimated that one in six live births (16.8%) occur to women with some form of hyperglycemia in pregnancy. The occurrence of GDM parallels the prevalence of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in a given population. These conditions are on the rise globally but particularly so in South Asia and Asia Pacific Regions and women of ethnic origins in this part of the world are considered to be at the highest risk of GDM. There is also an increase in the rate of overweight and obese women of reproductive age; thus more women entering pregnancy in this part of the world have risk factors that make them even more vulnerable to hyperglycemia during pregnancy.

South Asia and Asia Pacific regions account for 50% of the annual global deliveries; 55% of the global diabetes burden and about 30% of maternal and perinatal deaths and poor pregnancy outcomes. Despite this staggering data the majority of women in the region are either not screened or improperly screened for diabetes during pregnancy.

The relevance of GDM as a priority for maternal health and its impact on the future burden of non-communicable diseases is no longer in doubt; but how best to deal with the issue remains contentious as there are many gaps in knowledge on how to prevent, diagnose and manage GDM to optimize care and outcomes. The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) has produced a document to frame the issues and suggest key actions to address the health burden posed by GDM.

This DIPAP-SAIDIP Congress aims to raise awareness of the links between hyperglycemia and poor maternal and fetal outcomes as well as to the future health risks to mother and offspring and demand a clearly defined global health agenda to tackle this issue, and to provide guidance for testing, management and care of women with GDM regardless of resource setting as outlined in the FIGO document and to inspire action by showcasing ongoing initiatives on diabetes in pregnancy in the region and globally.

Additionally, controversial topics and use of new technologies in perinatal medicine will be discussed in detail. This will allow participants to formulate a modus operandi through evidence provided by the presenting experts.

Innovations connected to perinatal research on Whole Genome Sequencing, NIPT, small RNA's, Metabolomics and Microbiota will be discussed at length at the Symposium.

The faculty comprises of renowned professionals and practitioners from all over the world, who will present the most updated clinical and laboratory revolutions, based on evidence as well as practical experience.

Colombo, Sri Lanka was chosen as the host of The 1st South Asia and Asia Pacific International Conference on Diabetes in Pregnancy, due to its ability to bring participants from the whole South Asia and Asia Pacific region due to its location and set the scene for a lively and multifaceted scientific Congress.

We look forward to your participation and hope that you will contribute to the scientific program by submitting your abstracts.